Collapsible shipping-crate.



W. J. ROBERTSON;

GOLLAPSIBLE SEIPPING CRATE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 18, 1910 Patented Dec. 6; 1910.

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COLLAPSIBLE SHIPPING-CRATE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

Application filed February 18, 1910. Serial No. 544,694.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. ROBERT- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newberg, in the county of Yamhill and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Shipping-Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in shipping crates and more particularly to that class adapted to be used for shipping eggs or the like and my object is to provide crate of this class which may be readily collapsed when not in use.

A further object is to provide shields for the ends of the crate at the top and bottom thereof, and, a further object is to provide means for holding the crate rigid when in use or in its assembled position.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate showing the cover portion thereof swung upwardly. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the cover swung open. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the crate in its collapsed position showing the cover open. Fig. 4: is a similar View with the cover closed, and, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the crate in its collapsed position.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 and 2 indicate bars employed for forming the front and rear walls respectively of the crate and 3 and 4: are similar bars employed for forming the end walls of the crate.

The ends of the bars3 andare positioned between the ends of the bars 1 and 2 and all of said bars are pivotally secured together by extending rods 5 vertically through the overlapping ends of the bars and by so securing said bars, it will be readily seen that the front and rearbars may be moved longitudinally in opposite directions, thus causing the body of the crate to occupy but a minimum amount of space, as when the crate is being shipped empty.

If the body of the crate is to be divided into sections, a partition is formed by placing auxiliary bars 6 transversely across the crate, said auxiliary bars being held in position by means of rods 7 and 8, the rod 7 being extended a distance above the upper bar 1. When the crate is to be used for shipping purposes, the side bars are moved until the end bars rest at right angles thereto and are rigidly held in this position by means of straps 9, one end of the straps being pivoted to the rods 5 employed for holding the bars 2 in engagement with the end bars, the opposite ends of said straps being provided with openings 10 to receive the upwardly projecting portion of said rod 7 and when the straps are engaged with the rod 7 a perfect brace will be formed for the crate and the front and rear bars held against longitudinal movement.

Hingedly secured to the uppermost bar 2 is a cover, which is likewise formed of bars 11, the ends of said bars being pivotally secured to shields 12, which shields extend transversely of the bars and are preferably angular in cross section, so as to extend over and protect the ends of the bars at the upper edge of the crate. The bottom of the crate is also formed of bars 13, which are pivotally secured at their ends to the horizontal portion of shields 14, said shields being also preferably angular in cross section, so as'to fully protect the ends of the bars ovcr which they are placed, the shields 12 and 14: being so constructed as to allow the bars to pivot and permit the crate to collapse.

When the crate is set up, the cover is held in its closed position by placing a strip 15 across the outer face of said cover and hinging a hasp l6 thereto, said hasp being adapted to engage a staple 17 carried by the uppermost bar 7 and after the hasp has been engaged with the staple, any suitable form of lock may be engaged therewith. After the contents have been removed from the crate and it is desired to re-ship the crate to its owner, the straps 9 are disengaged from the upper end of the rod 7 and swung inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, when by moving the front and rear bars lengthwise in opposite directions, said bars will be swung toward each other and the parts of the crate collapsed, in which case the crate will occupy but a minimum amount of space when reshipping. When it is desired to again use the crate for shipping purposes, the bars 1 and 2 are moved longitudinally in the 0pposite direction until the parts have assumed their normal positions, when the straps 9 are again engaged with the upper end of the rod 7 thereby holding the parts of the crate rigid, as against swinging movement. 7

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very cheap and economical form of shipping crate and one that will be strong and durable. It will further be seen that by constructing the parts of the crate so that the same may be collapsed, the crate may be stored in a much smaller place than when as sembled. It will further be seen that by providing the brace straps, the parts of the crate will be held perfectly rigid when in its assembled position. It will likewise be seen that by providing the angular shields at the ends of the crate and placing the same at the upper and lower edges thereof, said crate will better withstand the rough handling incident to shipping and that sald shield will materially add to the durability of the crate.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A shipping crate of the class described, comprising a front and rear wall and end walls constructed of overlapping bars, rods extending vertically through the overlapping portions of said bars and forming pivots therefor, a cover also formed of bars, said cover being hingedly secured to the rear wall of the crate, straps engaging the rods at the ends of the rear wall, an additional rod extending vertically through the center of the front wall adapted to receive the inner ends of said straps and forming a brace for the crate and shields overlapping the ends of the crate.

2. A crate of the class described, com prising a front and rear wall composed of parallel bars, end walls comprising bars extending at right angles to the bars forming the side walls, the ends of said bars over lapping each other, rods extending vertically through the overlapping portions of the bars, an additional rod extending vertically through the central portion of the front wall and above the uppermost bar, a pair of straps pivoted to the rods extending through the ends of the rear wall and having openings at their opposite ends adapted to engage the rod at the center of the front.

wall, a cover hingedly secured to the rear wall, a pair of shields at each end of the crate, said shields being angular in cross section and means to secure the cover in its closed position.

3. A crate of the class described, comprising a front and rear wall and end walls constructed of overlapping bars, rods pivotally securing the overlapping portions of said walls, a cover composed of bars and hingedly secured to said rear wall, an auxiliary wall composed of bars inserted between the bars of said front and rear walls about midway of their ends, rods extending vertically through said front and rear walls to pivotally secure said auxiliary walls thereto, the rod passing through said front wall extending somewhat thereabove, and straps pivotally secured to the'rods at the ends of the rear wall and adapted to have common engagement with the extension of the rod upon the front wall, for the purpose described.

at. A crate of the class described, comprising a front and rear wall and end walls constructed of overlapping bars, rods pivotally securing the overlapping portion of said walls, a cover composed of bars and hingedly secured to said rear wall, an auxiliary wall composed of bars inserted between the bars of said front and rear walls about midway of their ends, rods extending vertically through said front and rear walls to pivotally secure said auxiliary walls thereto, the rod passing through said front wall extending somewhat thereabove, straps pivotally secured to the rods at the ends of said rear wall and the free ends thereof adapted to have common engagement with the extension of the rod in said front wall,

and angular shield members secured to the WVILLIAM J. ROBERTSON.

\Vitnesses E. E. Swrrznn, J. C. DUNCAN. 

